Nanette CortezWe all have a purpose and one choice could catapult you into your purpose.
Tonight I was thinking about my grandma. I don’t think I have ever taken a step back to look at the heartache she went through and what a strong, powerful woman of God she became. I mean I knew she was a strong woman of God, but REALLY took the time to think about it.
I was talking with some ladies in an IVF group I’m a part of. In the group we talk about what we are believing for, where we are at or have been in the process, and women share their testimonies.
For some reason after talking about a fear that I have had come against me for NOT having children of my own. My mind went to my grandmother. She had a total of 6 children. One of her children Ann, got very sick as a baby and died at about a month old. I suddenly thought wow the heartache and grief she must have felt after carrying this baby for 9 months, getting the baby room ready, and preparing for her as all parents do. Only to lose her a month after she is born.
Remembering the grief I had gone through after I lost my embabies, I cannot imagine the pain she felt after losing Ann! After being pregnant for 9 months, only to get to hold and love on her for a very short time. I just cannot fathom that. Why in all the years I have heard this story did I not stop to realize this was a painful time she went through.
After my mother was born, my mom got sick with the same thing as well and came close to dying. As the story has been told to me, my grandmother asked the Lord if you will let her live, I will give my life to you. The thing I never thought about, is out of the pain and grief she felt from losing Ann and not desiring to lose another child she called out to God. From deep down inside her, she was calling out to God for help. To save her child.
The Lord heard her cry and my mother was healed. My grandma did just as she promised she gave her life to God.
I’ve always known that my grandma was a strong christian woman who loved to teach the word and did not compromise on anything when it came to God or the life she lived for him. She lived it to the fullest. She taught all her children and grandchildren about the Lord. In fact soooo many things I learned in my christian walk, I learned from her.
I remember I would walk in the door from school, she would put her bible down and say “Oh Nanette, let me tell you what the Lord showed me today.” She had such a strong love for the father.
Talk about Purpose!
That choice that she made, that life alerting choice she made out of her season of pain is why my mom, my sisters, and I are even here. We have all done something in church and ministry one way or another. Because of her faithfulness to her purpose, we are living out ours.
It makes me think of Hannah in 1 Samuel the first chapter, how she cried out of her heart for a child. The Lord heard her and gave her Samuel. Hannah out of her pain, found her purpose and stayed faithful to it. Samuel lived out his purpose. He became a powerful man and prophet of God.
With these stories, I’m here to tell you even though you may feel like you are going through a lot of pain and hurt right now. You still have a purpose. Out of this moment you may find your purpose. That purpose will affect another person’s life and their purpose. God is here with you, he has not left you alone. You matter, your life matters, your purpose matters, and the person’s life that you will affect matters. Your choice and your faithfulness matters and could be life changing.
